'Biggest Crisis No One Is Talking About': Quarter of Humanity Faces 'Extremely High Water Stress' Intensified by Climate Emergency

"A new generation of solutions is emerging, but nowhere near fast enough."

Jessica Corbett, staff writer

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/08/06/biggest-crisis-no-one-talking-about-quarter-humanity-faces-extremely-high-water

 

A child sits in an area affected by a drought in the southern outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, in 2016. In the same area this September, the Honduran government declared a state of emergency because of drought as 290 municipalities are on the verge of running out of food. (Photo: Orlando Sierra/Stringer/Getty Images)

An analysis released Tuesday warns that 17 countries which are collectively home to a quarter of the global population face "extremely high water stress" that is on track to get worse—particularly because of the human-caused climate emergency.

The data is part of the World Resources Institute's (WRI) Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, a publicly available database and interactive tool designed to enhance global understanding of water scarcity, which WRI calls "one of the defining issues of the 21st century." 

"The newly updated Aqueduct tools allow users to better see and understand water risks and make smart decisions to manage them," WRI president and CEO Andrew Steer said in a statement. "A new generation of solutions is emerging, but nowhere near fast enough. Failure to act will be massively expensive in human lives and livelihoods."

"Water stress is the biggest crisis no one is talking about," said Steer. "Its consequences are in plain sight in the form of food insecurity, conflict and migration, and financial instability."

The WRI statement noted that "the world has seen a string of water crises in recent years, as what's now known as 'Day Zero'—the day when the taps run dry—has threatened major cities from Cape Town to São Paolo to Chennai."

Betsy Otto, who directs WRI's global water program, told The New York Times that "we're likely to see more of these Day Zeros in the future."

Otto, speaking to The Guardian, added that "our populations and economies are growing and demanding more water. But our supply is threatened by climate change, water waste, and pollution."

In a blog post announcing the new data, WRI outlined three ways that communities and countries around the world can reduce water stress, regardless of where they rank on the group's list:

Increase agricultural efficiency by using seeds and irrigation techniques that require less water, investing in developing technology that improves farming, and cutting back on food loss and waste;

Invest in "grey"and "green" infrasturcture, improving everything from pipes and treatment plants to wetlands and watersheds.

Treat, reuse, and recycle "wastewater."

The blog explained that countries rank at WRI's highest level for water stress if their "irrigated agriculture, industries, and municipalities withdraw more than 80 percent of their available supply on average every year."

A dozen of the top-ranked countries are located in the Middle East and North Africa. "The region is hot and dry, so water supply is low to begin with," wrote WRI, "but growing demands have pushed countries further into extreme stress."

India, which has a population exceeding 1.3 billion, also ranks among the most water-stressed nations.

Shashi Shekhar—former secretary of India's Ministry of Water Resources and a senior fellow at WRI India—noted that "the recent water crisis in Chennai gained global attention, but various areas in India are experiencing chronic water stress as well."

"India can manage its water risk with the help of reliable and robust data pertaining to rainfall, surface, and groundwater to develop strategies that strengthen resilience," Shekhar said. "Aqueduct can help identify and prioritize water risks in India and around the world."

Behind the 17 nations at WRI's top level are 44 countries—collectively home to another third of the world's population—that face "high" water stress, withdrawing on average more than 40 percent of their available supply annually.

However, as WRI's blog post pointed out, "pockets of extreme water stress exist even in countries with low overall water stress."

"For example, South Africa and the United States rank #48 and #71 on WRI's list, respectively, yet the Western Cape (the state home to Cape Town) and New Mexico experience extremely high stress levels," the group explained. "The populations in these two states rival those of entire nations on the list of most water-stressed countries."

"The data is clear: There are undeniably worrying trends in water," WRI concluded. "But by taking action now and investing in better management, we can solve water issues for the good of people, economies and the planet."

See the group's full ranking—which is based on United Nations member countries and does not include some small island nations due to model limitations—below:

 

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Is That Cop Dangerous? 4 Tips to Detect Psychopaths in Uniform

Author and lawyer Joseph Tully, November 17th 2017

https://www.jaildeathandinjurylaw.com/blog/9/is-that-cop-dangerous-4-tips-to-detect-psychopaths-in-uniform/

Psychopathic cops can be more dangerous than criminals. They are responsible for police brutality, unjustified shootings, false testimony, and many other forms of police misconduct.

Every year, dozens of people who were convicted based on a cop's testimony, are released from prison because they were innocent. In three out of four homicide exonerations, official misconduct is a factor.

Thousands of Americans have died at the hands of cops in suspicious circumstances. This kind of behaviors are, more often than not, the work of a psychopath.

What is a Psychopath?

One of the problems with psychopaths is that they are incapable of remorse.

For Jon Ronson, author of The Psychopath Test, “Psychopathy is probably the most pleasant-feeling of all the mental disorders... All of the things that keep you good, morally good, are painful things: guilt, remorse, empathy.” For neuroscientist James Fallon, author of The Psychopath Inside, “Psychopaths can work very quickly, and can have an apparent IQ higher than it really is, because they’re not inhibited by moral concerns.”

Psychopaths have cognitive empathy, they can understand what others are feeling, but they lack the ability to feel it, which is known as emotional empathy. “This all gives certain psychopaths a great advantage, because they can understand what you’re thinking, it’s just that they don’t care, so they can use you against yourself,” Fallon explains.

In fact, research has shown that psychopaths are extremely adept at identifying vulnerability.

Psychopaths Often Become Cops

What happens when a person like that, someone who has zero concern for our feelings, is handed a gun and put in a position of power?

An encounter with a psychopath in a police uniform can be a life hazard. That's why it is so important to be able to detect them. When you are in front of a psychopath, behaviors need to be altered, because normal social behaviors can trigger unexpected responses.

Research has shown that Police Officer is one of the top 10 professions chosen by psychopaths, ranking at number 7.

As I wrote in my book - California: State of Collusion, “Power, such as we give to law enforcement, prosecutors and judges, actually attracts psychopathic personalities who want to exert violent dominance under the color of authority. Innocent people can be subjected to a power trip police encounter, can be arrested by a megalomaniacal cop, jailed by a sadist, prosecuted by a manipulative Machiavellian and judged by a sociopath on an ego trip.”

How to Tell if a Cop is a Psychopath – Watch for these 4 Signs

Next time you dial 911, are pulled over on the road, handcuffed, interrogated, or arrested, watch for these signs to determine if you are in the presence of a psychopathic police officer.

1. They are Ambidextrous

If a cop uses both hands indistinctly, that increases his or her chances of being a psychopath. Research has shown that ambidextrous people consistently score higher on standard psychopathy tests. This has been observed in both male and female individuals.

2. They Maintain Constant Eye Contact and Show Particular Body Language

According to the gold standard for detecting psychopathic personalities, which was developed by Robert Hare, lying is one of the strategies psychopaths use to dominate. Sometimes they lie about things that don't matter, lying is like a sport for them.

While a non-psychopath will often blink and move about in times of stress, psychopaths remain still and hold consistent eye contact. They always appear confident and secure, and they tend to be still.

Because they lack relaxed and natural movements, sometimes their perfect poise gives way to contradictory movements. For example, a psychopath's nod may say yes while their words say no. They can also point to the left while talking about something that is on their right.

3. They Speak in a Grandiose Manner

Studies have also shown that the speech of psychopaths has some recognizable characteristics. For example, they use words like ‘because,’ ‘since,’ and ‘that's why,’ to describe their own actions. They often speak in past tense and use utterances like ‘uh’ and ‘um’ rather frequently.

It is very common for psychopathic cops to speak highly of their own behaviors and blame others for all their problems. It is the mark of a psychopath to take no responsibility for their own mistakes.

4. They Manufacture Negative Reactions

Psychopaths enjoy creating chaos. Afterwards, they feign innocence and put the blame on you for reacting. They are masters of provocation. If a cop baits you into an argument and then pretends to be surprised, watch out; chances are, you are dealing with a psychopath.

Conclusion: Trust Your Instincts and Stay Safe

Not all cops care about justice. Many of them abuse their power. Psychopathic ones beat up innocent men, women, and minors. They shoot unarmed victims and lie to secure convictions. If you ever come across a cop, trust your instinct. If there is even the smallest sign that they might be a psychopath, you must watch your back.

Unfortunately, not all cops are there to protect you. Unfortunately, some will try to harm you and send you over the edge. If that happens, try to remain silent, and put safety first.

Our attorneys are used to dealing with problematic police officers and prosecutors who display psychopathic traits. We have psychiatrists on our teams who can efficiently detect psychopaths. If you have run into trouble with a law enforcement officer, call us, we can help restore your civil rights and hold psychopathic cops and their employers accountable.

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